ISLAMABAD: The fifth European Film Festival continued for a second day in Islamabad on Sunday, bringing together European and Pakistani cinema with children’s activities, local crafts, conversations among creatives and live music at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts.
Colors, illustrations and handmade crafts filled the venue as families moved between screenings, activity spaces and stalls set up by artists, filmmakers and craftspeople.
Children were among the festival’s cinema-goers for the screening of Belgian and Polish films including “Luce and the Rock,” “What’s Inside the Crate?,” “MoMo and LuLu” and “Blue Bird” forming part of the program for younger audiences.
At the Kids’ Corner, children drew, colored and painted, giving them space to express their imagination between screenings.
Tauseef, a father of two, told Pakistan TV Digital that he had been attending European film festivals with his family for the past few years.
“It’s always educational for kids and families,” he said.
Day two also featured Dutch and Austrian films, a selection of Pakistani independent films and a Creatives’ Mixer that brought filmmakers, content creators, storytellers and other creative professionals together to exchange ideas.
Robert Jan Siegert, ambassador of the Netherlands to Pakistan, said films could help audiences connect with themes that crossed cultural boundaries.
“We’re very happy to contribute to this film festival because these films, when people look at them, they recognize certain themes and there’s an instant recognition,” Siegert said.
He said the Dutch film explored how children viewed the world and used their imagination while touching on inclusion, togetherness and climate change.
“It’s really interesting to see how that resonates with people in the audience,” he said.
Hannes Machor, deputy head of mission at the Austrian Embassy in Islamabad, said Austria had contributed two films, “Out of Sync” and “Roundabout.”
“Culture is a very important tool for us to bring our countries and our societies together and film is particularly good at that,” Machor said.
Beyond the screen, visitors browsed craft stalls offering ceramic food-grade cups, wooden jewelry, resin art and other locally made products.
Among the interactive attractions was “Khoj,” a custom board game designed by Beaconhouse National University student Manaal Omar Alvi. Inspired by Pakistan’s landscapes, heritage and flowers, the game added another homegrown creative element to the festival.
The program also featured “Cinemasala,” a live musical performance, while installations including the EUFF-Pakistan Express, Wall of Fame and Human Slot Game offered visitors activities between screenings.
Presented by the European Union and curated by Olomopolo Media, the festival combines European films, documentaries and experimental shorts with Pakistani productions and interactive cultural experiences.
Following Islamabad, the festival will travel to Sialkot on Sept 16 and 17 before concluding in Jamshoro and Hyderabad on Sept 29 and 30.